Re-Audit of Majella Wilderness

A recently carried out Re-Audit of Majella Wilderness, located in Majella National Park in Central Italy, reviewed the Wilderness quality of this first Wilderness in the Mediterranean. Our colleagues not only audited the Wilderness quality in the field but also the Wilderness stewardship of the management team. Topics like changes of the Wilderness borders and size as well as traditional uses in the surrounding areas of Majella Wilderness have been discussed.

Re-auditing Majella Wilderness in the field

Several field trips accompanied by members of the National Park management offered opportunities to collect information on the quality and stewardship of Majella Wilderness. During two excursions to the Orfento valley the auditors took a closer look on the dens and partially old-growth mixed beech forests. Hiking to a rewilding beech forest in Lama Bianca the auditors discussed adaptations of the borders of the Wilderness. Giuseppe Marcantonio from the park management accompanied these informative hikes. Valter Di Cecco and Angelo Pietropaolo, both botanists, showed the auditors a rare remnant of primeval old-growth black pine forest. This unique forest in a steep cliff hosts up to 700 year old black pine trees together with oak and beech. This excursion offered numerous opportunities to talk about inhereted traditional uses of this area. In particular sheep grazing and water extraction. This area also showed impressive signs of natural dynamic processes such as avalanches.

A hike up Monte Porrone with Giampiero Ciaschetti, botanist, offered a good overview of the southern part of Majella Wilderness. This excursion also gave the auditors a better understading of the extensive research activities of the National Park. The auditors stayed overnight in a bivouac on Monte Amaro to get an overview of the northern part of Majella Wilderness. This enabled them to audit the highest part of Majella Wilderness. The auditors also discussed the management of the bivouacs and cabins in the Wilderness.

Discussing Wilderness Stewardship

Meetings with the director, Oremo Di Nino, and numerous dicussions with employees of Majella National Park proved the strong Wilderness support of the management team. The management puts particular emphasis on increasing the quality of Majella Wilderness. This resulted in an update of the zonation of the Wilderness. The currently developed Re-Audit Report will analyse the findings and developments in Majella Wilderness.

Majella Wilderness Audit 2018

Majella Wilderness Audit 2018

Majella Wilderness Audit 2018

Velino Wilderness

After the Re-Audit of Majella Wilderness the European Wilderness Society auditors also visited Sirente-Velino Regional Park. The auditors used this short visit to get a first impression of potential Wilderness there. This neighbouring protected area hosts similar ecosystems like Majella Wilderness but has a different protection status. In particular the public awareness for Wilderness is not as strong as it is in Majella National Park. However, there is a potetial area fulfilling the European Wilderness Quality Standard. Furthermore, the management of Sirente-Velino Regional Park is very dedicated to the Wilderness concept. Due to these findings, Velino Wilderness in Sirente-Velino Regional Park will become a partner of the European Wilderness Network.

Acceptance of any contribution, gift or grant is at the discretion of the European Wilderness Society. The European Wilderness Society will not accept any gift unless it can be used or expended consistently with the purpose and mission of the nonprofit non-government European Wilderness Society.

No irrevocable gift, whether outright or life-income in character, will be accepted if under any reasonable set of circumstances the gift would jeopardize the donor’s financial security.

The European Wilderness Society will refrain from providing advice about the tax or other treatment of gifts and will encourage donors to seek guidance from their own professional advisers to assist them in the process of making their donation.

The European Wilderness Society will accept only donations in cash. Gifts of in-kind services will be accepted at the discretion of the European Wilderness Society.

The European Wilderness Society will provide acknowledgments to donors meeting tax requirements for property received by the charity as a gift. However, except for gifts of cash and publicly traded securities, no value shall be ascribed to any receipt or other form of substantiation of a gift received by European Wilderness Society.

The European Wilderness Society will respect the intent of the donor relating to gifts for restricted purposes and those relating to the desire to remain anonymous. With respect to anonymous gifts, the European Wilderness Society will restrict information about the donor to only those staff members with a need to know.

The European Wilderness Society will not compensate, whether through commissions, finders' fees, or other means, any third party for directing a gift or a donor to the European Wilderness Society.

The European Wilderness Society is registered in Austria as a non-profit public society.

Ullr

Ullr Keychain

Our Ullr is a great keychain and is made from Pinus Cembra and hand braided local sheep wool. It is machine washable and we use as a keychain. Price includes shipping and handling in Europe. For international postage please email us.

€10.00

Shop

Ullr Keychain

Our Ullr is a great keychain and is made from Pinus Cembra and hand braided local sheep wool. It is machine washable and we use as a keychain. Price includes shipping and handling in Europe. For international postage please email us.

€10.00

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy